Sofa-bedstead



2 SheetsSheet 1.

(Model.)- O. STREIT.

Sofa Bedstead. No. 238,728. Patented March 8,1881.

Fig.1.

(ModelQ) 2Sheets-Sheet 2. (J. STREIT. Sofa Bedstead.

No. 238,728. Patented March 8,1881.

N.?ETERS, PHOTQ-LIYHOGRAPH ER. WASHINGWOH. n c

NHED STATES PATENT Oriana.

CHARLES STREIT, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

SOFA-BEDSTEAD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 238,728, dated March 8, 1881.

Application filed June 12, 1880.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES STREIT, of Cincinnati, Hamilton county, State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Sofa-Bedsteads, of which the following is a specification.

Thisinvention relates to that class of reclining-lounges or sofa-bedsteads in which the seat is made to extend or unfold to form, in connection with the stationary part, a double bed.

The object of my invention is a folding-seat lounge which, when closed, has all the appearance of the ordinary single lounge, and when unfolded forms a broad level bed, with head and foot supports for the pillows and Jed-clothing. A further object is to provide a neat front finish to the lounge, which may be utilized to support the seat-frame when unfolded. Another object is to provide for supporting the outer rails of the stationary and folding frames between their extreme ends when the lounge is closed, in order that these rails may be made of light thin slats, that the bed when unfolded will have all the elasticity of aspringmattress, and when the lounge is closed up the center part will be prevented from sagging down. A further object is a folding head that forms a close joint with the seat proper when the lounge is closed, and which folds entirely back to permit the entire space within the frames to be utilized as a bed. Its object is, finally, a locking device to rigidly secure and support the movable parts in either the folded or unfolded condition. The peculiar arrangement of devices by which these objects are attained are fully illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure 1 is a front elevation of a folded lounge embodying my improvements. The upholstcring is left off and a portion of the front trimming removed. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the lounge-frame unfolded. Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal vertical section of the folded frame. Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section of the folded lounge upholstered, taken in line 00 0c ofFig. 1, and looking to the head. Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical section in front of one of the movable feet, showing a modification of the means to support and lock the unfolded seat-frame in position. Fig. 6 is an (ModeL) enlarged perspective view of the metal supporting and locking devices.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts throughout the various views.

The stationary part of the lounge is a rectangular frame composed of two end pieces, A A, a back, B, front slat, 0, back slat, O, and a back, D, which is mounted upon the frame in the usual manner, the whole supported upon four feetone under each corner.

Secured to the outside of each end piece, A, is a finishing-piece, E. These are wide enough to inclose the end pieces of the folding frame when closed upon the stationary part, and to form head and foot supports for the pillows and bedding when the lounge is unfolded.

The folding seat-frame is composed of end pieces, A, sidepiece, B, and slat O corresponding to the pieces A, B, and G of the stationary frame. The end pieces, A and A, are hinged together at b, to fold upon each other and form the single lounge, or to unfold and form the double bed. Upon the upper side of the folding frame, when closed, is secured a supplemental frame extending from the foot up to where the folding head,when turned upon the seat, joins its cross-slat b. The longitudinal slat G of this supplemental frame is the same width as slats G, G, and O The folding headpiece F is hinged to the top of the head end piece of the stationary frame, and folds over the seat-frame to form a continuation of the seat when the lounge is closed, as in Figs. 1, 3, and 4, and folds back to permit the unfolding of the seat-frame, to render available the entire space within the frames for a broad level bed.

E E are folding leaves hinged to the end pieces, E E. Their free ends are supported upon castered feet,which are of thicker material than the leaves. The surplus projects upon the inside to furnish a support for the slat 0 when the lounge is folded, and for the outer ends of the folding frame when unfolded. These hinged leaves form the front finish of the closed lounge, and when opened out support the unfolded seat-frame and provide a head and foot support for the pillows and bed-clothin g. The connected ends of pieces E and E are rulejointed, so that when folded against the front the ends present a neat molded finish.

To the inner faces of pieces E, near their free ends, are secured metal locking-pieces G, and at the corners of the folding frame are metal hook-pieces H, adapted to interlock with the pieces Gr when the frame is unfolded, to support the outer edge of the unfolded frame and unite the parts firmly together. The lockingpiece G consists of a spring-bolt, which has upon one side of the bolt-case an inclined web to receive the inclined locking-head of male piece B. At the back of the bolt-case is an angle-plate perforated for screws to secure it to the folding piece E. The upper angle of the plate is adapted, when secured in place, to pass under the rail (1 of the seat-frame, the spring bolt at the same time entering 'the metal catches I upon the upper side of slat (J, and the projecting part ofthe foot passes under said slat. The leaves E are thus locked firmly against the front of the folded lounge, the spring-slat O is supported upon the folding feet, and slat G rests upon the angle-plate of piece G.

The piece G, except the spring, the bolt, and its actuating-pin, (which passes from the front of the lounge through a slot made for the purpose and is secured into the bolt,) is preferably made of cast metal molded in one piece. The piece H, which is a plate having an inclined locking-h ead proj ecting from it, is also made of cast metal. These pieces G and H are in pairs, or right and left, a pair being required for each lounge.

While my improved locking devices are advantageous in my lounge, they are not essential, as good results may be attained by many well-known means. In Fig. 5 I have shown the unfolded frame resting upon the movable foot, and the folding end leaf and frame secured together by hook and staple at g.

It will be seen, upon reference to Fig. 4, that when my lounge is closed the three tiers of springs are made available to render the seat elastic. It would be an inferior modification of my device to make the seat-frame to slide off from the stationary bed and rest upon the unfolded leaves E E, as in that case but two tiers of springs could be used, and it 'would be necessary to utilize the upholstered seat as part of the bed, which would render the center of the extended bed less elastic.

In Fig. 3 I have shown a novel arrangement of a folding mosquito-bar frame inclosed within the folded lounge, and in Fig. 4 I have shown the same unfolded and secured in position to receive the bar. I have shown how this bar may be folded within my lounge and applied to it for use; but no description of the bar-frame or mode of construction is necessary here, as this feature is intended to be made the subject of a separate application. While my lounge is well adapted to the use of my novel frame, it may also be applied to other lounges of this class.

The lounge represented in the drawings is made according to the prevailing style, having the center of the front finished in upholster trimming, which requires the folding leaves E E to be only long enough to support the end of the unfolded frame;

If it is desired to make the'front finish all of wood, it is obvious that the leaves may be made of a length to meet in the center and overlap at the edges to form a finished joint or the leaves may be made of the length shown and their outer ends rabbeted upon the inside to receive a panel, which should be made with tenons to slide back of the rabbeted ends of the wings and present a finished front.

I claim- 1. A sofa-bed composed of a stationary bedframe and a folding bed and seat frame such as described, in combination with folding hinged leaves, as E E, said leaves being adapted to fold and form the front finish of the closed lounge, and to unfold and provide a support for the pillows and bed clothing when the lounge is changed to a bed, substantially as set forth.

2. A sofa-bed composed of a stationary bedframe and a folding bed and seat frame such as described, in combination with folding leaves E E, said leaves being hinged to the head and foot end pieces, and having their free ends supported upon castered feet,which are adapted to receive and support the unfolded seatframe, and said leaves adapted to fold against the front of the folded lounge, substantially as specified.

3. In a sofa-bed of the character described, the combination, substantially as specified, of a stationary bed-frame having a thin front slat, U, and a folding seat-frame having a correspondingly thin slat, C in combination with folding leaves E E, said leaves having feet under their free ends, and above the feet, upon the inside, suitable projections to pass beneath the rails G and 0 when the leaves are folded against the closed lounge and support said rails G and C 4. A sofa-bed having a stationary bed-frame and a folding seat and bed frame, in combination with a supplemental frame secured upon the seat side of the.folding frame, and around which the seat-cover is tacked and the folding head F adapted to fold back to permit the seat-frame to be unfolded, and to fold down upon the closed seat-frame and form a close joint with the end of the supplemental seatframe, substantially as shown and described.

5. A sofa-bed having a stationary bed-frame and a folding bed and seat frame, in combination with folding leaves E E and locking devices G and H, substantially as described.

CHARLES STREIT.

Witnesses Gno. J. MURRAY, E. G. DEWALD. 

